1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disposable absorbent article, particularly a disposable absorbent article such as a menstruation napkin or a disposable diaper. More particularly, the present invention relates to a disposable absorbent article, such as a menstruation napkin or a disposable diaper, in which the outer surface layer is a non-woven fabric.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional absorbent articles have the disadvantage that even though they absorb fluids eliminated from the body, a part of the body fluids absorbed therein is thereafter pressed out or exuded from the absorbent material through the surface layer thereof, caused by the body weight of the user, so as to wet the skin of the user, thereby making the user uncomfortable or causing skin irritation. In order to minimize the pressing-out of the absorbed body fluids, there has been proposed an improvement wherein a water-repellent non-woven fabric is used as the surface layer of the absorbent article. A hydrophobic substance is used as the binder for the non-woven material or hydrophobic synthetic fibers are used as a part of the fibers of the non-woven fabric. Although the pressing-out of the absorbed body fluids is considerably minimized by this technique, the rate of absorption of the body fluids into the absorbent article is reduced greatly, owing to the water-repellency of the hydrophobic substance or fibers, which causes the fluids to leak from the sides thereof.